rj.thegreathunt- 第111节

　
　　　　　　　The　long　swells　of　the　Aryth　Ocean　made　Spray　roll；　but　Domon's　spread　feet　balanced　him　as　he　held　the　long　tube　of　the　looking　glass　to　his　eye　and　studied　the　large　vessel　that　pursued　them。　Pursued；　and　was　slowly　overtaking。　The　wind　where　Spray　ran　was　not　the　best　or　the　strongest；　but　where　the　other　ship　smashed　the　swells　into　mountains　of　foam　with　its　bluff　bow；　it　could　not　have　blown　better。　The　coastline　of　Toman　Head　loomed　to　the　east；　dark　cliffs　and　narrow　strips　of　sand。　He　had　not　cared　to　take　Spray　too　far　out；　and　now　he　feared　he　might　pay　for　it。
　　　　　　　〃Strangers；　Captain？〃　Yarin　had　the　sound　of　sweat　in　his　voice。　〃Is　it　a　strangers'　ship？〃
　　　　　　　Domon　lowered　the　looking　glass；　but　his　eye　still　seemed　filled　by　that　tall；　square…looking　ship　with　its　odd　ribbed　sails。　〃Seanchan；〃　he　said；　and　heard　Yarin　groan。　He　drummed　his　thick　fingers　on　the　rail；　then　told　the　helmsman；　〃Take　her　closer　in。　That　ship　will　no　dare　enter　the　shallow　waters　Spray　can　sail。〃
　　　　　　　Yarin　shouted　mands；　and　crewmen　ran　to　haul　in　booms　as　the　helmsman　put　the　tiller　over；　pointing　the　bow　more　toward　the　shoreline。　Spray　moved　more　slowly；　heading　so　far　into　the　wind；　but　Domon　was　sure　he　could　reach　shoal　waters　before　the　other　vessel　came　up　on　him。　Did　her　holds　be　full；　she　could　still　take　shallower　water　than　ever　that　great　hull　can。
　　　　　　　His　ship　rode　a　little　higher　in　the　water　than　she　had　on　sailing　from　Tanchico。　A　third　of　the　cargo　of　fireworks　he　had　taken　on　there　was　gone；　sold　in　the　fishing　villages　on　Toman　Head；　but　with　the　silver　that　flowed　for　the　fireworks　had　e　disturbing　reports。　The　people　spoke　of　visits　from　the　tall；　boxy　ships　of　the　invaders。　When　Seanchan　ships　anchored　off　the　coast；　the　villagers　who　drew　up　to　defend　their　homes　were　rent　by　lightning　from　the　sky　while　small　boats　were　still　ferrying　the　invaders　ashore；　and　the　earth　erupted　in　fire　under　their　feet。　Domon　had　thought　he　was　hearing　nonsense　until　he　was　shown　the　blackened　ground；　and　he　had　seen　it　in　too　many　villages　to　doubt　any　longer。　Monsters　fought　beside　the　Seanchan　soldiers；　not　that　there　was　ever　much　resistance　left；　the　villagers　said；　and　some　even　claimed　that　the　Seanchan　themselves　were　monsters；　with　heads　like　huge　insects。
　　　　　　　In　Tanchico；　no　one　had　even　known　what　they　called　themselves；　and　the　Taraboners　spoke　confidently　of　their　soldiers　driving　the　invaders　into　the　sea。　But　in　every　coastal　town；　it　was　different。　The　Seanchan　told　astonished　people　they　must　swear　again　oaths　they　had　forsaken；　though　never　deigning　to　explain　when　they　had　forsaken　them；　or　what　the　oaths　meant。　The　young　women　were　taken　away　one　by　one　to　be　examined；　and　some　were　carried　aboard　the　ships　and　never　seen　again。　A　few　older　women　had　also　vanished；　some　of　the　Guides　and　Healers。　New　mayors　were　chosen　by　the　Seanchan；　and　new　Councils；　and　any　who　protested　the　disappearances　of　the　women　or　having　no　voice　in　the　choosing　might　be　hung；　or　burst　suddenly　into　flame；　or　be　brushed　aside　like　yapping　dogs。　There　was　no　way　of　telling　which　it　would　be　until　it　was　too　late。
　　　　　　　And　when　the　people　had　been　thoroughly　cowed；　when　they　had　been　made　to　kneel　and　swear；　bewildered；　to　obey　the　Forerunners；　await　the　Return；　and　serve　Those　Who　e　Home　with　their　lives；　the　Seanchan　sailed　away　and　usually　never　returned。　Falme；　it　was　said；　was　the　only　town　they　held　fast。
　　　　　　　In　some　of　the　villages　they　had　left；　men　and　women　crept　back　toward　their　former　lives；　to　the　extent　of　talking　about　electing　their　Councils　again；　but　most　eyed　the　sea　nervously　and　made　pale…cheeked　protests　that　they　meant　to　hold　to　the　oaths　they　had　been　made　to　swear　even　if　they　did　not　understand　them。
　　　　　　　Domon　had　no　intention　of　meeting　any　Seanchan；　if　he　could　avoid　it。
　　　　　　　He　was　raising　the　glass　to　see　what　he　could　make　out　on　the　nearing　Seanchan　decks；　when；　with　a　roar；　the　surface　of　the　sea　broke　into　fountaining　water　and　flame　not　a　hundred　paces　from　his　larboard　side。　Before　he　had　even　begun　to　gape；　another　column　of　flame　split　the　sea　on　the　other　side；　and　as　he　was　spinning　to　stare　at　that；　another　burst　up　ahead。　The　eruptions　died　as　quickly　as　they　were　born；　spray　from　them　blown　across　the　deck。　Where　they　had　been；　the　sea　bubbled　and　steamed　as　if　boiling。
　　　　　　　〃We　。。。　we'll　reach　shallow　water　before　they　can　close　with　us；〃　Yarin　said　slowly。　He　seemed　to　be　trying　not　to　look　at　the　water　roiling　under　clouds　of　mist。
　　　　　　　Domon　shook　his　head。　〃Whatever　they　did；　they　can　shatter　us；　even　do　I　take　her　into　the　breakers。〃　He　shivered；　thinking　of　the　flame　inside　the　fountains　of　water；　and　his　holds　full　of　fireworks。　〃Fortune　prick　me；　we　might　no　live　to　drown。〃　He　tugged　at　his　beard　and　rubbed　his　bare　upper　lip；　reluctant　to　give　the　order…the　vessel　and　what　it　contained　were　all　he　had　in　the　world…but　finally　he　made　himself　speak。　〃Bring　her　into　the　wind；　Yarin；　and　down　sail。　Quickly；　man；　quickly！　Before　they　do　think　we　still　try　to　escape。〃
　　　　　　　As　crewmen　ran　to　lower　the　triangular　sails；　Domon　turned　to　watch　the　Seanchan　ship　approach。　Spray　lost　headway　and　pitched　in　the　swells。　The　other　vessel　stood　taller　above　the　water　than　Domon's　ship；　with　wooden　towers　at　bow　and　stern。　Men　were　in　the　rigging；　raising　those　strange　sails；　and　armored　figures　stood　atop　the　towers。　A　longboat　was　put　over　the　side；　and　sped　toward　Spray　under　ten　oars。　It　carried　armored　shapes；　and　…　Domon　frowned　in　surprise　…　two　women　crouched　in　the　stern。　The　longboat　thumped　against　Spray's　hull。
　　　　　　　The　first　to　climb　up　was　one　of　the　armored　men；　and　Domon　saw　immediately　why　some　of　the　villagers　claimed　the　Seanchan　themselves　were　monsters。　The　helmet　looked　very　much　like　some　monstrous　insect's　head；　with　thin　red　plumes　like　feelers；　the　wearer　seemed　to　be　peering　out　through　mandibles。　It　was　painted　and　gilded　to　increase　the　effect；　and　the　rest　of　the　man's　armor　was　also　worked　with　paint　and　gold。　Overlapping　plates　in　black　and　red　outlined　with　gold　covered　his　chest　and　ran　down　the　outsides　of　his　arms　and　the　fronts　of　his　thighs。　Even　the　steel　backs　of　his　gauntlets　were　red　and　gold。　Where　he　did　not　wear　metal；　his　clothes　were　dark　leather。　The　two…handed　sword　on　his　back；　with　its　curved　blade；　was　scabbarded　and　hilted　in　black…and…red　leather。
　　　　　　　Then　the　armored　figure　removed　his　helmet；　and　Domon　stared。　He　was　a　woman。　Her　dark　hair　was　cut　short；　and　her　face　was　hard；　but　there　was　no　mistaking　it。　He　had　never　heard　of　such　a　thing；　except　among　the　Aiel；　and　Aiel　were　well　known　to　be　crazed。　Just　as　disconcerting　was　the　fact　that　her　face　did　not　look　as　different　as　he　had　expected　of　a　Seanchan。　Her　eyes　were　blue；　it　was　true；　and　her　skin　exceedingly　fair；　but　he　had　seen　both　before。　If　this　woman　wore　a　dress；　no　one　would　look　at　her　twice。　He　eyed　her　and　revised　his　opinion；　that　cold　stare　and　those　hard　cheeks　would　make　her　remarked　anywhere。
　　　　　　　The　other　soldiers　followed　the　woman　onto　the　deck。　Domon　was　relieved　to　see；　when　some　of　them　removed　their　strange　helmets；　that　they；　at　least；　were　men；　men　with　black　eyes；　or　brown；　who　could　have　gone　unnoticed　in　Tanchico　or　Illian。　He　had　begun　to　have　visions　of　armies　of　blue…eyed　women　with　swords。　Aes　Sedai　with　swords；　he　thought；　remembering　the　sea　erupting。
　　　　　　　The　Seanchan　woman　surveyed　the　ship　arrogantly；　then　picked　Domon　out　as　captain　…　it　had　to　be　him　or　Yarin；　by　their　clothes；　the　way　Yarin　had　his　eyes　closed　and　was　muttering　prayers　under　his　breath　pointed　to　Domon　…　and　fixed　him　with　a　stare　like　a　spike。
　　　　　　　〃Are　there　any　women　among　your　crew　or　passengers？〃　She　spoke　with　a　soft　slurring　that　made　her　hard　to　understand；　but　there　was　a　snap　in　her　voice　that　said　she　was　used　to　getting　answers。　〃Speak　up；　man；　if　you　are　the　captain。　If　not；　wake　that　other　fool　and　tell　him　to　speak。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　do　be　captain；　my　Lady；〃　Domon　said　cautiously。　He　had　no　idea　how　to　address　her；　and　he　did　not　want　to　put　a　foot　wrong。　〃I　have　no　passengers；　and　there　be　no　women　in　my　c